


Zero Approval Adam

by notHarold



Category: RWBY
Genre: Adam is poorly portrayed even in the context of the fic ragging on him, Gen, Grimmen AU, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, alas it is not meant to be, i want to reference the continuity even more than I already did, there is so much going on and it is so canon non-compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-21 23:16:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17651537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notHarold/pseuds/notHarold
Summary: People are terrible, but they still have standards. Roman and Cinder take exception to Adam's character and set him up to fail. Regrettably neither of them get to deliver or see the punchline, but they have bigger problems to deal with.





	Zero Approval Adam

**Author's Note:**

> I banged out most of this over the course of two days, so don't expect quality writing.

Roman all but melted into his armchair, pressing an icepack into his swollen eye. His latest job had been a shit show. It sounded so easy from the outset: show up, show off, make friends with angry and hurt faunus, and don't get caught by the cops or hunters. How was he supposed to know that Kitty-cat snuck into the rally? Hell, what was he supposed to do even if he had known? He conceded that chasing after her in an Atlesian Paladin hadn't been the greatest move, but Cinder would've thrown him in a fire if he couldn't cinch the crowd's loyalty. Running away with his tail between his legs wouldn't have cut it.

Ilia had told him as much. She warned him that more than results, they valued valor. On top of that, she tipped him off to Red's gang bailing out of Beacon and hammered in the fact that her crush had dug her claws into the idea that it was her responsibility to fix the White Fang. And then she even made an excuse to keep herself from screwing with him, Red, and Red's buddies. It stung when she sent that last message, but he could hardly blame her. It'd be like him and Neo working opposite sides. Only she had no right answers. The faunus might have owed him a lot, but not nearly enough to stick her neck out for him when she still had her shot at a normal huntress life.

Could he sell out Rainbow Cheeks? Sure, he could, and then he'd be miserable enough that Neo wouldn't stab him for throwing her best friend into the fire. No, she'd just let him stew in his shame and regret. And her disappointment. Gods, he had hoped— prayed even— that she would lose her puppy eyes as she grew up, but it was just his luck that she hadn't. And then she taught Ilia how to pout and—

Roman let out a groan when his scroll trilled. "Brunswick Baggage and Barter, how may I be of service?" he answered with as saccharine a voice he could manage.

"Rowan." Great, Cinder wanted to chew him out. The flat tone said enough, but she thought he was completely incompetant and so— "Would you care to explain what I'm watching on the news?"

As if he had the choice to not care. "The cat from before slipped in." Cinder scoffed at his response. "I've got the scratches to prove it. I'm working outside of my job description on an insane schedule without the manpower to keep up and keep smooth. Yeah, I messed up the show piece—"

"That's coming out of your paycheck."

"But the rest of the shipment is delivered, and our customers are sold on the product," Roman snapped. "If I didn't chase after her and put up a decent showing, they'd think I was a coward— _which would've cost the sale_. My hands were _and still are_ tied, and you know it!"

Roman took a moment to breathe. Gods, he hated this woman.

"You're right," Cinder sighed, feigning compassion or using it to make her disappointment cut deeper. Did she really think that he'd believe she was anything but frustrated with his results? Did she think she was doing a better job of plucking his heartstrings than his girls? "I'm only getting what I paid for."

Damn straight, Roman was a high-value thief, not a bulk thief. Even his front matched: better business, not bulk busts. If she wanted the job done better, she needed the right people, and Roman may have been the best thief in the city, but he earned the position by specializing in things that weren't what Cinder wanted him to do.

"It's a good thing that I've found help for you," Cinder continued. "One of our customers took interest in your cat after your failure at the docks. He'll be joining us for our next meeting and will take care of your pest problems." Of course he wasn't off the hook for anything but the worst issue. It was a step in the right direction, but the rest of the shit added up anyway. "I don't want to replace you if I don't need to, but you are testing me. See to it that you don't disappoint me any further, Rowan."

The call ended with a snap.

* * *

When Cinder had said that she found Roman help, he assumed that it was some White Fang grunt— maybe a relative or an old friend of Kitty-cat's like Ilia. He hadn't expected the spiky redheaded man that walked with an attitude problem. Looking him up and down, he ran through the possibilities. The faunus— bull judging by the horns— dressed in his own style. Either he was new to the Vale branch of the White Fang or he was above the rank and file. How he knew the girl, he had no idea. He looked older than her. Roman entertained a brief thought that he had a relationship with her like Roman had with Neo.

"Roman, this is Adam Taurus," Cinder introduced the faunus who brushed past her in favor of making his own impression.

"Cinder tells me you've been fighting Blake," Adam started, getting right to the point and in Roman's face. "I want to hear it from you, human."

"Yeah, Blake: black hair, cat ears under a bow, sword inside a sword, clone semblance," Roman described, putting his hands up, subtly readying Melodic Cudgel to fire at the floor between them, and taking a step back for space. He didn't like this one already: too aggressive from the get-go. Great for shock and awe, not so great for long-term ventures. He entertained the possibility that a resurgance of his racism made him feel this way, but no. He felt confident that he consistently did not like this attitude. "Cinder tells me you can help me keep her out of the way. Give me pointers on dealing with her."

"Child's play," Adam snorted. He let Roman have his space and took a half step back, seemingly satisfied by the man's reaction to him. It was hard to tell if he noticed Roman's weapon past the mask or if he just didn't care. "I taught Blake everything she knows."

"Adam mentioned that she was his subordinate and student," Cinder clarified. Roman nodded in understanding. "I do hope that this sorts out this issue."

"Blake is mine. She may have betrayed me once, but I'll remind her who she is." Okay, Roman concluded then and there that Adam's relationship with Blake was nothing like his with Neo. "I'll remind her who she loves."

A red flag sprang up for Roman. He couldn't tell what Cinder thought of Adam's words. Still, he hoped beyond hope that it was just bad phrasing and not what he feared. "Wow, you look mature for your age," Roman started. "I wouldn't have pegged you for her boyfriend, superior-subordinate issue aside."

"Funny, I've been told I look young for twenty-eight," Adam snorted. Roman could practically see him roll his eyes through his mask, and he recognized the neutral expression of displeasure Cinder wore. He hoped it was meant for the faunus and not him. "And what does rank matter? Blake and I love each other."

"That won't interfere, will it?" Cinder checked, taking Adam's attention off of Roman. "With all the trouble she's been causing—"

"She'll be on our side when I'm done with her," Adam snapped. He looked between the pair. "If there's nothing of importance to speak of, I'll do my part and take Blake back instead of running my mouth."

"The rest—" Adam didn't bother to listen to the rest of Cinder's dismissal. "—does not concern you." She and Roman watched his back recede until the door clicked shut behind him.

"Roman," Cinder called, only to find a raised finger as he made a beeline for his stash of liquor. "Get me a glass too."

Cinder seated herself while Roman practically threw a pair of glasses onto the table. She steepled her fingers and glared at the floor while he poured for them. The only sign that she was aware of anything outside of her own thoughts was her small "thank you" when Roman pushed her glass closer. Even then, the pleasantry spoke volumes on her distraction. They both threw their drinks back and chased them down with a second.

"Taurus has to go," Cinder declared. Roman fistpumped, glad that they were on the same page for once. "But—"

"Oh no." Of course there was a catch. There was _always_ a catch with her.

"The White Fang is necessary," Cinder pushed on. "It's not clear who would make a viable replacement for Adam's role this late in the game. Our grasp on them is weak. One wrong step and all our work will go to waste with no chance for recovery."

"Let them deal with Adam themselves," Roman suggested. "It'll be on them, and we won't lose anything except a clear point of contact. I know a few that hate the kind of attitude he has." He huffed. "I can't say they'll step up and fill the void though."

Cinder shook her head. "If that's the case, we'll need to push off taking care of Adam until the last phase of my plans." She grimaced. "It'll be difficult to ensure that he dies then, and I know that's not what you want—"

"And what do you want?" Roman snapped. "Do you really want to give him the chance to walk? I'll call the police if I have to!"

"It's not practical, and don't you dare jeopardize my plans over this!" Cinder shot back. She fumed for a moment before a thought struck her. "What about your friend, the Sprite?"

Roman pursed his lips as he considered Ilia. "The motive works, but they're not the killing type," he started. Well, she might've been in this case, but she didn't need murder dragging her conscience deeper into the gutter. "I'll give them a call anyway. See if I'm wrong or if they have any ideas about how to deal with him."

"I'll look into alternatives myself," Cinder promised with a nod. "In the meantime, I'll dig into his combat abilities. I'll forward you my findings as I compile them and keep you updated if I come up with a viable plan."

* * *

"Hey, disaster lesbian."

"Uncle, I have class. Make it quick," Ilia snapped as she ran out the door and searched for somewhere a bit more private to take the call. She shot a quick glance back, but no one seemed too bothered by her departure "What's so important that you're calling me this early?"

"It's late for me, but whatever," Roman snarked. "Kitty-cat's ex is in town, and he's not going to be satisfied until his blue balls are in her."

"Firstly, that's a gross metaphor—"

"That wasn't a metaphor."

"What."

"I'm not joking or making a big deal out of it for shits and giggles. Adam Taurus wants his dick in your girlfriend."

Ilia ignored the jab. "Still?"

"Whoa, back up. Didn't you say you left when you were a kid? This was a thing when you were still talking to him? When you were an even tinier tot?"

"Yeah, he was one of the younger guys that trained us. Her mostly, but—"

"How old was she and were they dating then?"

"A bit younger than me— I think she was fourteen?" Ilia puased to think. "No, I think I was fourteen when I left. At worst, Blake was thirteen then, but don't quote me on that. Time was fuzzy for me back then. They started dating maybe a few weeks before I bailed if I remember right."

"Let's see, if he's twenty-eight now—"

"What? I thought he was sixteen back then! He can't be that old!"

"Heard it from the Bull himself last night. He's baby-faced for twenty-eight."

Ilia shut up as her imagination ran wild into dark alleys full of adults who were decidedly unsafe for reasons unrelated to violence and prejudice. "I have to make a call— warn Blake—"

"Give me the dirt on Bully-boy later?"

"Yeah. Keep me updated on whatever he's up to, okay?"

"Consider it done."

* * *

"Blake," Ilia called, waving the girl over during lunch. "Can we talk? Privately?" Ruby, Weiss, and Yang formed a protective barrier between them. "It doesn't have to be out of the way, just—" Ilia groaned. "The fountain? Courtyard? Somewhere where we won't be overheard?"

"Why should I even listen to you anymore?"

"Because Adam is in Vale."

Blake shrank. "He's here?"

" _In Vale,_ " Ilia repeated, stressing the point that Beacon was safe. "I'll tell you everything, but just not here." She sighed. "I wanna call your godmother too—"

"Ilia, no."

"I won't tell her about you and Adam, but I need backup when I talk to her about the Fang." Another sigh slipped out. "I mean, I think you should, but—"

"I don't think she'll be happy to hear from me."

"I think she'll be less happy to find out that her life's work is going down the drain," Ilia pointed out. "At least with you, she'll be relieved to know you're alive, don't you think?"

"But Adam would've told her that…" Blake trailed off. She blinked. "Oh." Her team crowded around her, trying to judge her expression. "If he told her the truth, she'd already be here." She considered matters for a moment, then refocused on Ilia. "Let's go to your place."

* * *

Sienna was just settling into bed when her scroll rang. A quick check revealed nothing but a Valian area code and a number she didn't recognize. At the same time, it wasn't as though anyone knew her number either. She debated on answering it for a moment, then flicked it open.

The sound-only splash screen greeted Sienna. "How did you get this number?" she demanded.

"Adam and Blake were dating," her caller shot back.

Sienna considered the words and the voice. "Ilia," she started. "I didn't expect you to call, much less to accuse—"

"Blake is with me." A pause. "She can back me up on this."

Sienna paused. "Let me talk to her?" she asked. "And show me your faces. We're not strangers."

The sound-only splash gave way to Ilia's face. Sienna grimaced. She wished she never had to see her so worn and dejected. It reminded her too much of when she first found her. It reminded her of her comrades when the White Fang had been a purely peaceful organization. Before she could say anything to her, the scroll passed hands and it was Blake's turn to break Sienna's heart. She looked ready to run at the drop of a hat and only stop when her body gave out.

"Blake?" Sienna called gently. "What's wrong?"

"Adam, the White Fang, Vale," Blake listed, seemingly unsure of where to start herself.

"You couldn't tell Adam about the problems in the Fang?"

"He wanted to kill the workers on the train, Ilia says that he's working with criminals now too, human ones, and…" Blake trailed off. "I'm afraid of what he'll do if he finds me at Beacon."

Sienna frowned. "You're at Beacon?"

"We're both attending," Ilia chimed in. "Oh, and Adam doesn't know I'm around. I'm pretty sure I'll die if he finds out. If the top of the chain of command here doesn't do it, Adam's recruits will."

"Wait, start from the beginning," Sienna requested as she made her way to her desk. She could feel a sleepless night coming on. "Last I heard, Blake was enjoying a comfortable infiltration. Now, Blake— Kitten, where does that story go wrong?"

* * *

The foolish human never stood a chance. Fighting with Blake had charged Adam's semblance. Even if she hadn't charged right at him like he wanted, he had more than enough energy to cut her in two. It was disappointing that he hadn't been able to sever her life, but she and Blake would die soon enough. Seeing Blake shield the human hurt, but he would pay it back soon enough. He raised Wilt, and in a single stroke severed her head.

Only, it faded to shadows.

"S-Sienna."

Adam turned toward Blake's voice. Crying for help? His blood froze when he looked past her. Sienna was here. Her arms and legs were covered in grimm ichor. What was she doing here? Had she heard him? Had she _seen_ him?

"Kitten," Sienna smiled at Blake. She moved to cup her cheek, but remembered herself. Behind her, a shock of white— a Schnee— reached for Blake in Sienna's stead. "Go with your friend. I need to have a talk with Adam, but I'll come find you later, okay?"

Blake nodded, craddling the blonde in her arms and allowing the Schnee to help her. "Okay." She spared Adam one last look, and as usual, she ran.

Any warmth Sienna had froze to a deep Atlesian winter as soon as Blake left her sight. "Adam," she addressed. "I recall telling you that your path might lead you to stand next to my throne one day." She nodded. "You've taken the brotherhood in Vale a great distance from where it once was, and I think that you've earned it."

Relief flooded Adam. She hadn't seen. "High Leader, I'm glad you like my work here, but it's not done."

"It's not?" Sienna raised a brow. "Vale in flames, Beacon Academy in ruins, what more could there be?"

"The humans on their knees."

Sienna smiled, nodding. "I'm sure that would be a wonderful sight to see. Only…" She trailed off, casually reaching out to Adam as though offering to take his hand. "I'd rather see you in a grave." Her fingers flicked up.

Adam's arm fell down.

"What?" Adam looked down at the blood streaming down his side. Sienna walked closer as he fell to his knees, faint. "How?"

"You laid yours hands on my goddaughter under my own roof," Sienna started as she took hold of Adam's throat, kicking Wilt and Blush away with contemptuous ease. "You swore that you would keep her safe, that you would protect her, and teach her how to do for others what you did for her." She snorted. "It's a good thing you didn't do that."

"High Leader—"

"What excuse could you possibly have for pedophilia? For grooming your subordinate? My goddaughter?"

"We loved each other."

Sienna narrowed her eyes. "Is that why you tried to kill Blake? Cut her head off?"

Oh. She saw.

"An arm for an arm, and a neck for a neck."

"But—"

"Blake escaped. Let's see you do the same."

The last thing Adam saw was Sienna, covered in blood, and his own headless, armless body.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted Raven to show up at the end too, but there wasn't enough setup for it.
> 
> ###### BONUS
> 
> Cinder polished off her drink, seemingly content to leave the discussion of Adam's fate with the promise of action, but Roman flagged her down, stopping her halfway out of her seat. "There's something I wanna point out. I can't be sure if you've noticed it," he said. For once, Cinder seemed content to hear him out. "You and Emerald, what's the deal?"
> 
> "That's none of your business," Cinder scoffed.
> 
> "Neither are Kitty-cat and Taurus, but we're meddling anyway."
> 
> That stopped Cinder. Roman watched her blank expression twitch and pinch as the gears in her head turned. "You believe that I'm grooming her?" she asked softly. Roman wondered for a moment if she was afraid of his answer. "That— I…"
> 
> "I know you're grooming her," Roman stated. He raised a finger. "But! I don't know if it's to make her your tool, or… well, whatever the cat is to Taurus. You're kinda skirting the line."
> 
> Cinder rose to her full height, face still void of emotion while she considered the idea and reflected. "What about you and Neo?" she turned on him, pushing off her own conclusion. "Don't tell me you don't see it."
> 
> "Yeah, she's got a baby face, but I'd sooner eat a live grenade." They had always been family. Both of their parents would crawl out of their graves if Roman creeped on her. Gods knew that he had the opportunity. "I raised her to not need me. Tell me off. She can strike out on her own whenever she wants. Has the skills and know-how for it too." He jabbed a finger at Cinder. "But Emerald needs you, or at least she wants you, and you haven't made it clear what you can and can't be for her."
> 
> "You hug Neo whenever she shows up."
> 
> "Yeah, we're family. You're wrapping Em around your finger with maybes, and that might be fine, but if you're tucking _into_ her—"
> 
> Cinder turned green and ran. If they were talking about anything else, Roman would've laughed. As it was, he poured her another drink.
> 
> "I don't appreciate your accusation," Cinder stated when she returned. "Don't do it again."
> 
> "Yeah yeah, drink up, don't fuck kids. I'm not taking any other stands."


End file.
